As libraries anticipate and explore new possibilities for the future, there are three areas that should be focused on for a successful transition; people, places, and objects. Libraries have always desired to reach out to their users, but in the past this involved library buildings that had to be visited in person which were filled with row after row of books and little space left for anything other than reading. With advances in technology libraries have the opportunity to meet user needs in interesting and varied ways. People Technology has and will continue to transform people’s lives. Libraries have a […]
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I must admit my eyebrows raised when one of my students in the Hyperlinked Library class shared a job description in our discussion devoted to emerging ideas and trends. Trenton Public Library (TPL), NJ, was looking for an “Innovation Catalyst Librarian.” The interest grew as my students dissected the duties and requirements, comparing their own experiences and suitability for such a position. I have seen a lot of cutting-edge job descriptions before, but this one was different. Merriam-Webster defines a catalyst as “an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action.” TPL was searching for “a passionate, creative, type-A […]
A new way of professional learning may be replacing the “filling a ballroom and quietly taking notes as a speaker speaks” model and seems to have its genesis in a more localized fashion. At a state meeting last spring, a library administrator noted, “My new professional hires are much more interested in doing regional and state stuff—super into the state stuff.” Is this the rise of locavore learning? Budgets may be more robust for travel closer to home. There’s something wonderful about meeting up with colleagues once a year (or more) and commiserating. As a friend said at CALCON, “I’m […]
Has this ever happened to you? A meeting is going along swimmingly. Decisions are being made. Paths forward seem clearly defined. Action items are doled out to key players around the table. And then, a voice pipes up: “I’ll play devil’s advocate and….” Cue the sound of wheels screeching to a halt, or perhaps the collective, weary exhale of the group. The term devil’s advocate is defined as a role meant to encourage discussion of an issue from all sides by taking an unpopular approach. However, I fear it’s become something different. Many have come to understand that when we […]
Is expertise no longer relevant? What is the difference between expertise and authority? How do we introduce students to these ideas within a world where fake news is prevalent? These are some of questions answered by Bill Badke in my interview with him on the Circulating Ideas podcast. This interview is available at: Circulating Ideas episode 113: William Badke. William Badke is Associate Librarian at Trinity Western University, Canada, with responsibility for information resources and research training at the Associated Canadian Theological Schools. He is author of numerous articles and the widely used textbook, Research Strategies: Finding your Way through […]
Will “hygge” guide our services and interactions? Scandinavian countries have introduced libraries to some wonderful things in the past few years. Nordic Noir fiction, some beautiful new buildings to gather inspiration from, and perhaps the most interesting of all: the concept of hygge. Pronounced “hoo-ga,” it loosely translates from the Danish as “coziness,” but bloggers, news reporters, and folks sharing #hygge-tagged images are quick to say it is so much more. Some might argue that it’s a feeling, a vibe, a state of mind. Others say it’s about connections, conversations, and comfort. This definition shared on an Instagram post by […]
A MODEL LIBRARY “We designed our libraries for people, not books,” Østergård said. The collection remained the same size, about 325,000 items, but the new space is much larger. It’s based on the Four Space model developed by Danish Royal School of Library and Information Science professors: inspiration space, learning space, meeting space, and performative space that overlap and intersect. Action words for each sector of the model: Excite. Explore. Create. Participate. Do a deep dive into The Model Programme for Public Libraries and you’ll see intriguing and thought-provoking results in Denmark and beyond. Libraries become the center of urban […]
This column explores my three years working on the IMLS-funded Institute for Research Design in Librarianship. Since 2014, academic librarians from across the United States have gathered at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in Los Angeles to be part of an immersive learning experience—the Institute for Research Design in Librarianship (IRDL). My colleague from the School of Information, Dr. Lili Luo, and Greg Guest, a cultural anthropologist working in Durham, NC, designed the research skills–focused curriculum and served as lead instructors for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)–funded program. For nine days in the summer the selected participants, IRDL […]
This column explores the future of LIS education as part of Library Journal’s 40th Anniversary celebration. LIS programs have moved online quickly since my own program went 100 percent online in 2009 with varying degrees of success, some relying on “read and respond” pedagogy while others embrace new technologies. (See The Transparent Library School and Our Common Purpose.) A couple of decades from now, online graduate education may mean something different than a web-based learning management system. Logging in might involve a version of virtual reality that replicates the “face-to-face” classroom so closely the technology involved falls away. Class experience, […]
Dozer, Cooper, Compassion & Empathy: A common punch line in the librarian oeuvre pertains to the number of cats a particular librarian may own. We all know that librarians are dog people, too, as evidenced by the multiple Facebook photos I see of various canine biblio-companions. I am sure librarians also keep various other mammals, reptiles, and birds, but there is a natural fit between our love of four-legged friends and our calling to the profession. Here is a video about Dozer from Silver Muzzle Cottage